In This Issue
Introducing Our Newest Training Partners
Photo Gallery
Video Debuts!
Sneak Peeks!
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Introducing

our Newest
Training Partners!

 

 

   

Lisa Leady

CMG, NCMG  

 

 

Lisa Leady is a third generation pet stylist with 35 years of experience.  Lisa is a Certifier for National Dog Groomers Association of America. Lisa began her career in the competition world in 1997 and retired from the ring in 2007. In 2000, she was one of the top ten stylists in the country, earning a spot on Groom Team USA. In 2005 and 2007 Lisa was one of the members of the traveling team for GroomTeam USA.  In 2005, she helped the team bring home the silver medal from France, and in 2007 she was part of the team that went to Italy.  Lisa has won many Best All-Around Stylist Awards and Best-In-Show Awards across the country.  

 

Lisa has been nominated many times for the Cardinal Crystal Awards and has won three times. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Congeniality Award and 2009 the David Salzburg award and Contest Judge of The Year award. Since retiring from the competition ring, Lisa has spoken at seminars and judges at all the major grooming competitions.  In 2009, Lisa was the runner up on Animal Planet's, "Groomer Has It, 2."

 

Lisa, her husband, and their daughter reside in Dekalb, IL. She is the proud owner of Primp My Pooch Mobile Dog and Cat Salon. She breeds and shows Smooth Fox Terriers.

 

Lisa enjoys doing hands on workshops or private lessons for other groomers who want to improve their skills, whether it be for the competition ring or just in their daily grooms.  She has traveled across the country and abroad, helping and teaching other stylists.

 

 

 

  

Suesan Watson 

CMG  

Suesan is a third generation pet stylist whose dynamic career stretches over 40 years. A Certified Master Groomer, she owns a successful mobile grooming business, which serves the Chicago/Northwest Suburban area.  Sue is proud to be part of Wahl's "Extreme Team" and is approved by the United Show Managers' Alliance as a Sanctioned Judge.

 

She began grooming competitively in 1995, and has received many class and group placings.  Sue is a winner of the "Wahl 2003 Groomer of the Year" award and is the only recipient of three consecutive Cardinal Crystal Grooming Achievement Awards for American Groomer of the Year. In addition, Suesan has been nominated multiple times for Cardinal Grooming Contest Judge of the Year, and Cardinal "Congeniality" awards.

 

Making GroomTeam USA in 2000, Suesan placed in the top five positions for five years in a row, before retiring from competition to become a judge in 2005.  Her 2004 placings garnered her the honor of competing with the 2005 GroomTeam USA Travel Team in France.  The USA team took second place, only one point behind France.  Sue also won "Best Clipping" recognition with her Mini-Poodle in the individual open class at the same competition.

 

Her keen eye for dogs, her understanding of breed standards, and knowledge of grooming techniques, coupled with her pleasant demeanor, has made Sue a sought-after competition judge and speaker, both in the United States and abroad.  Her natural ability to communicate grooming techniques to others in an understanding and often humorous way, regularly draws crowds at her seminars and grooming demonstrations around the country.  Sue also does private, hands-on seminars with individuals and smaller shop groups.

 

Annually, Suesan teams up with her sister, Lisa Leady,  to produce and manage a "Class B" grooming competition in conjunction with the Chicagoland Family Pet Expo. This venue allows less experienced groomers to be introduced to competitive grooming in a less intimidating arena and then continue on to larger shows as their confidence and experience builds.  The competition has been very popular with not only the groomers but the average attendees of the show who normally do not see regular grooming competitions.

 

   

 

Learn

Anywhere  

- Any Time! -  

 

Learn2GroomDogs.com

 


L2GD Photo Gallery



























April 28, 2011


Welcome to Learn2GroomDogs.com, the first streaming video library for the professional pet groomer and stylist! Select from over 100 training videos - all available with just a few simple clicks of your mouse!

 

Here are a few of the items you'll learn in the videos that are going up for full view today.

 

  • Learn how to set a fun and stylish modified pet Continental pattern on a Standard Poodle with our most popular Training Partner, Misty Fowler (CMG) in this double feature grooming lesson.
  • Internationally known Stylist, Kathy Rose (CMG) is back with more Fun with Color on Every Day Client Pets.
  • Award-winning stylist Annette Quick shows you how you can quickly and easily strip out a super-fuzzy, harsh coat by simply using the correct rakes instead of a lengthy hand stripping process - plus we get a bonus lesson on how to handle a challenging pet in the process!
  • In our Show Case Salon feature, we have the opportunity to share Lori Lawrence's dream of opening her own salon less than a year ago, including how she did it on a tight budget yet got beautiful results.

 Membership pricing as low as $33.60     

   

We have some amazing footage to share with you with our upcoming videos. Check out what is currently on our editing table in these fabulous Sneak Peeks for our April 26 release date.  

  • Grooming the Pet Miniature Schnauzer, with Misty Fowler
  • Grooming the Cairn Terrier, with Lisa Leady
  • Grooming a Pet Springer Spaniel, with Suesan Watson
  • Intergroom  
  • Home Remedies for the Home or Shop Groomer, with Suesan Watson & Lisa Leady

Membership Information   

 

Marc and I rolled into Intergroom after a stress-free fourteen hour drive. It was refreshing after a long Michigan winter to see the entire countryside breaking into Spring as we drove into the Meadowland show site. It was great to see many of our members at the show - even better to hear first hand how helpful the L2GD site is for you and your salon!! While we were at the show, we had the opportunity to film some great new Training Partners right on the trade room floor that you will see in the coming months on L2GD.

 

Currently Marc and I are on the road (with our horses to boot!) filming with Danelle German at her 'cat only' grooming school National Cat Groomers Institute in Greenville, SC. After that we move on to film a new Training Partner you will learn about in the near future.  Since all of us have horses, we will be riding in the Dupont National Forest. We are still working out how to do a 'Saddle Talk" like we did with the 'Back Deck Interviews'. As in the Caribbean Islands, we will have gathered an incredibly talented group of pet professionals. Sometimes the best learning isn't sitting in a lecture or watching a demo - it comes from spur of the moment conversations in a relaxed setting. It doesn't get much more relaxed than traveling through incredible country from the back of a horse! Stay tuned, we'll see how creative we can get!!  

 

Please take a moment to check out our "Membership" tab and be sure to share this link with all of your friends and associates!

  

Enjoy!

  

Happy Trimming,

Melissa Verplank   

 

5 Great Videos Going Up for Full View
April 26, 2011
  

Grooming the Poodle in a Pet Continental Trim

Pet Continental Trim - Sessions 1 and 2  

 Misty Fowler, CMG

      

Misty Fowler takes you on a creative journey as she sets a fresh, modified, Continental Trim on a cream Standard Poodle.  In this fun haircut, she shows you how to shorten the jacket, minimize the tied-up top knot, and use a longer blade over the areas that are traditionally extremely short - making this trim adaptable for any pet, (even ones in cooler climates) immersed in the depths of bitter winters.  

 

This lesson is broken into a 'double feature.'

 

Session #1 deals with setting the body pattern, trimming the bracelets and setting the rosettes.

 In this video you will learn:

  • How to set a modified pet Continental pattern
  • Blade choices for a cooler climate
  • How to set and shape the rosettes
  • How to set the bracelets for balance and style
  • What can make a pet more comfortable while it is standing on a grooming table

Approximate running time:  50  minutes

 

 Click here to see the full video!    

 

 

Session #2 deals with styling the head including tying up the topknot, blending the neck into the body, trimming the tail, as well as the final detail work.

 

In this video you will learn:

  • How to accentuate the structure of the pet
  • How to outline the jacket
  • How to tie up a short - and manageable - show style top knot
  • How to apply hair spray to build height and volume

Approximate running time:  28  minutes

 

Click here to see the full video!

 

 

Adding a Touch of Color to Every Day Pets    

By Kathy Rose

The hot trend right now is adding interest to the grooming process by adding a touch of jazzy color to the coat.  Award-winning and highly sought after pet stylist, Kathy Rose, shows you two more simple and quick options for having some fun with color on your every day pets using hair extensions and stenciling with blow pens on the coat.

 

In this video you will learn:

  • How to get a clear line on a stenciled pattern
  • What you can use to help wash the color out when it's time to remove a stencil
  • Where you can find hair extensions
  • How to safely apply hair extensions to a pet
  • Tools that you will need to apply your extensions

Approximate running time:  20 minutes



 

Grooming the Pet Parson Russell Terrier   

 by Annette Quick, CMG 

Award-winning stylist, Annette Quick, shows you how you can quickly and easily strip out a super-fuzzy, harsh coat by simply using the correct rakes instead of a lengthy hand stripping process.  In this session, she uses her own dog and little did we know - it would turn into not only a grooming lesson - but a handling lesson as well.  It seems our own dogs know exactly what buttons to push, and this little guy really turns on his naughtiness for the camera. Watch how Annette not only completes the grooming process - but regains her own composure (on camera) and wins back the control of the situation without using force with this challenging little Terrier.

 

In this video you will learn:

  • What a totally blown coat looks like
  • Tools that can help make the job quick and easy
  • Handling tips for a less than cooperative pet

  Approximate running time:  45 minutes     


Click here to see the full video!
 


Show Case Salon

- My Pampered Pooch - 

by Lori Lawrence, Peach Tree City, Georgia

In this session, we have the opportunity to share Lori's dream of opening her own salon. She, like so many people in this current economy, was at a cross-road in her career path. Lori was a career military gal but when that job ended, she wasn't sure what she was going to do.  Learn how she came up with the idea to open her own business, including the steps required to make the dream come true.  Open for not yet a year, Lori's salon has taught her many lessons about new business ownership.  She has been forced to scale back many of her plans but by listening to her clients, spending her limited budget wisely, and being willing to work exceptionally hard - she is well on her way to building a successful business.  Join us as she shares with the L2GD membership her personal voyage to opening a new business.

   

In this video you will learn:    

  • How to get a beautiful salon even on a tight budget
  • The beauty of an open floor plan
  • The importance of listening to your clients
  • Lori's personal journey and the trials and tribulations she overcame to keep her vision alive
Approximate running time:  33 minutes

 
Click here to see the full video!

   
5 New Sneak Peeks!
These videos will be available for full view May 5

Grooming the Pet Miniature Schnauzer

 by Misty Fowler, CMG   

  

The Miniature Schnauzer occupies the #12 slot in popularity with the American Kennel Club.  This translates to lots of Schnauzers in our grooming salons! The proper way to groom this breed is by hand stripping, however, in the pet world, clipper trimming is the typical way most pet Miniature Schnauzers are groomed.  Misty Fowler leads you through this grooming demonstration, showing you how to set the pattern, what blades to select, where to blend, how to scissor the legs and set in the head piece, including shaping the eyebrows. Even though this is a pet dog, there is no reason not to show off the proper breed profile for this beloved family pet. 

   







 

 

Grooming the Cairn Terrier   

by Lisa Leady, CMG     

 

In this demonstration, Lisa works with two different pets: a young dog that was recently adopted and a more mature Cairn Terrier.  With the younger dog, Lisa provides some great handling tips for pets that may resist the grooming process. She also shares some fabulous insights as to how long it takes for an animal to learn new, acceptable behavior. With the older Cairn, Lisa shows you everything you'll need to know for how to groom a typical pet Cairn Terrier -- from breed profile trimming to grooming techniques that will help retain the color and harsh texture of the coat.  Littered through the entire video are fabulous grooming tips, product suggestions, and wisdom that comes with three generations of experience.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grooming the Pet Springer Spaniel 

Suesan Watson, CMG

 

In this session, award-winning stylist, Suesan Watson, leads you through the entire grooming process of a beautiful little Springer Spaniel.  She'll identify which tools to use to get a great natural look - even though the dog is clipper cut.  She has a great segment that talks about how to find conformation faults in the pet and ways to disguise them.  She'll also share lots of breed standard information and how you can apply grooming techniques to make the most of the breed in the least amount of time.

 

 





  

 

 

What Goes into Shampoos and Conditioners?  

by Dave Campanella

   

Join us as we talk to Dave Campanella from Best Shot Products, a leading manufacturer of shampoos and conditioners for the pet industry.  During this mini lesson on the trade room floor at Intergroom 2011, Dave guides you through what to look for in high quality products such as: what ingredients go into products, how they impact the coat and skin, what to watch out for, and why it's almost impossible to have a 100% organic product.  As a bonus, Dave talks about the development of 'spa products' and how they can have a large influence in your grooming department.

 

 

 

 





 

 

Home Remedies for the Home or Shop Groomer 

by Suesan Watson, CMG
and
Lisa Leady, CMG

   

Both of these award-winning stylists have been involved with grooming dogs since they could walk.  Their mother and grandmother were professional pet groomers, breeders of a wide variety of dogs, and spent most of their extra time at dog shows.  These sisters learned early on what products were available -- right from their own cabinets -- to make the grooming process easier and more efficient.  As time has gone on, many of these home-type remedies have been replaced with commercial products. There are times when a situation crops up for which you just don't have the right commercial product at your fingertips.  You may even have a pet owner at home who is facing a dilemma that needs immediate attention. In this session, Suesan and Lisa bounce ideas and suggestions of things you can use to help solve the grooming problem.  And the best part -- most of us have the ingredients right in our home cabinets!